Young Singer Sues to Be Free of ‘Producers’

MARIETTA, Ga. (CN) – A 15-year-old singer claims two Georgia men coerced her into signing a contract making them her producers, then changed it to keep all the profits for themselves. Mikala Minecci claims that Gerald Nelson and Gerald D. Fagan dba Coda Masters misrepresented themselves as professional record producers, altered the unconscionable contract after she signed it, and that the contract is invalid because she signed it when she was 15.

Minecci claims that the men told her “that they had obtained a contract for plaintiff with Johnson & Johnson Inc., which would pay plaintiff the sum of $900,000 for her participation in a national tour.” She says they did that after they told her “that they were professional recording producers, recording sound engineers and career counselors licensed to operate in Georgia.” Minecci says all the men’s claims are false. She claims the contract is void because she was 15 and “unable to legally contract;” because they “altered the purported contract after obtaining plaintiff’s signature;” and that “the purported contract is void for vagueness … [and] for lack of consideration … void as unconscionable … [and] void as procured by fraud.” Minecci says the men “have collected sums for plaintiff’s performances, and continue to collect same, without providing any profits to plaintiff.” She claims that “have continued to use plaintiff’s image and performances to promote sales of a CD or downloads of music performed by plaintiff, at a profit, without plaintiff’s permission, and without providing any profits to plaintiff.” And she says they “have interfered with plaintiff’s right to work with any third parties.” Minecci seeks declaratory judgment that the contract is void, and wants the men restrained from using her image or performances, and from interfering with her work with third parties. She is represented by Angela Cordle of Marietta, in Cobb County Court.